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(NoModel.)

, H. D. STELLE 8u L'. M. CUTTING.

INVALID LETER.

Patented Ma,1.27,1883.

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Ywf )5cm/Ml To all whom it may concern UNITED STATES PATENT QFFICE.

HERBERT D. STELLE AND LEONARD M. CUTTING, O F JERSEYVILLE, ILL.

LIFTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part f Letters Patent NO. 274,527, dated March'27,1883.

Application filed February 14, 1883, (No model.)

Be it known that we, HERBERT D. STELLE and LEONARD M. CUTTING, of Jcrseyville, in the county of Jersey and State of Illinois, have inventeda new and Improved Invalid- Lifter; and we do hereby declare that thefollowing is a full and exact description of the same, reference beinghad to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference markedthereon.

Our inventionrelates to an improvement in invalid-litters, our objectbeing to provide an inexpensive, safe, and easily operated liftingmechanism, whereby an invalid may be comfortably and easily lifted frombed to chair, chair to bed, or in and out of a carriage.y

A further object' of our invention is to provide a combination ofliftingbands, upon which the invalid may be so suspended While beinglifted that his weight shall be distributed over as large asupporting-area as possible, so that no undue pressure shall be exertedon any part of his body, and that shall also be provided with means vforeasy adjustment about him while in 'a lying or sitting position.

A still further object of our invention is to provide a lifting andsupporting gear that shall readily and without inconvenience ordiscomfort to the invalid admit of the removal and readjustment of theclothing, and also possess the necessary features of convenience fornight use.

With these ends in view our invention consists in certain details ofconstruction fully set forth in the following specification and claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation ofthe device, including aperspective view of Vthe combination of bands, straps, Ste., by whichthe invalid is supported while being lifted from one place to another.Fig. 2 is a front view of the hand-gear of the crane and the partsconnected directly therewith.

Fig. l represents a light crane, preferably made of gas-pipe, andconsisting essentially of two sections, a and secured together at rightangles to each other by an elbow, A, the vertical section a beingsecured by eyebolts m and n to the wall C of the room in which thelifter is used in such manner as to allow the jib b to swing roundfreely in a horizontal plane.

In order o adapt the crane part of the device to large and small roomsand to give more or less sweep to the jib, the latter is provided withan extension-tube, l, adapted to slide Within it, and secured .inposition by a set-screw, t, a similar extension-tube, l', being adaptedto ,slide within the vertical tubular post a, in which it is alsosecured by a setscrew, t', the lower extremity resting in a step, y, inwhich it is adapted to turn freely.

Upon a stud, e, is journaled a worm-wheel, o, adapted to engage with aworm, f, which revolves in bearings d and is actuated by an ordinaryhand-cranln'o. Secured to the wheel o, and adapted to revolve with it,is a drum, i,

upon which is wound the lifting-cord g, the

latter passing over sheaves g q, depending, as shown, from the jib ofthecrane. By reference to Fig. 2 it will beseen that the wormwheel o,worm j', drum i, and hand-crank oare all supported bya single bracket,B, which is adapted to vertical adjustment upon the cranepost ct, and issecured in position by set-screws c c. The'object of this combination ofparts with a single movable bracket is to provide means whereby thewhole of the actuating mechanism shall be contained within the smallestpossible space, and be also easily adjusted to the convenience of theoperator, as well as to such changes as may be made irl the height ofthe crane-post by the outsliding or indrawing of the adjustable tube 1'.A worm-wheel gear is by preference employed, for the reason that ittakes up but little room and obviates the necessity for a pawl andratchetwheel, the friction upon A the worin being sufficient to overcomethe reaction ofthe weight.

The lifting and supporting gear consists of a rectangular frame, h,provided with straps or cords r r r lr", each one being secured at g aconvenient part of its length to an angle of the frame has shown in thedrawings, and so connected by a horrizontal band, S, and crossed bands pp', as to form a seat for the idvalid, the upper ends of the straps rrf, &c.,being brought together at 71; and united by a ring which engageswith a hook` at the end of the rope g.

By the foregoing details it will be seen that the horizontal part Aofthe .broad band S, in combination with the lower or horizontal parte IOCof the bands pp', is adapted to sustain the weight of the invalid, whilethe vertical or crossed parts give support to the back. 1n order toprovide a larger seat area, the inner edge of the band S is furnishedwith a broad triangular iiap, J, which, when not yin use, is allowed tohang down in the position shown in the drawings. To bring it into use soas to form a seat of much larger area than is aiordfl` ed by thebandspp, it is turned up so as to lie close to the latter, and issecured in that position by a button, u, at their intersection. It is insome cases preferable to employ a rect angular flap, as shown inlbrokenlines in the drawings, so as to form, when turned up, a broader supportfor the shoulders. In the latter case its upper edge is secured to thestraps 1" r" by hooks or buckles.

The operation of this lifting appliance is as follows: The invalid beingin a sitting or reclining position, the band S is detached from thestraps r r and also from the bands p p and passed under the thighs, theframe h is then brought into such yposition that thecrossed bands p p',depending therefrom, may .be brought behind the shoulders, the lowerends passed under the body and connected by .means of hooks or theirequivalents with the band S,which is in turn hooked up to the straps orcords r r. A few turns of the crank and the invalid is suspended in asitting position. To make the seat more comfortable, the flap J is thenturned up and secured, as al` ready described. Matters being thus, theinvalid may be easily swung round to any place Within reach of the craneand lowered into a chair, the lifting-bands being removed by a processthe reverse of that employed for their adjustment.

When the flap J is turned down the convenience afforded by the peculiarcombination of bands with which it is connected is obvious,

not only for night use, but for the facility it presents for the removaland readjustment Vof the clothing.

Having fully described our invention, what We claim as new, and desireto secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. In an invalid-lifter, the combination, with a tubular crane, oftheextension-tubes Z l', the former adapted to slide within the jib b andthe latter within the lpost a, substantially as and for the purposeherein set forth.

2. In an invalid-lifter, the combination, Awith a crane-post, a,provided with an extension tube, l', ofthe adjustable bracket B,windingdrum t', worm-Wheelf'v, and worm f, all of said parts beingconstructed and united substantially in the manner and for the purposeherein set forth.

3. In an invalid-lifter, the combinatioufof the rectangular frame h.,straps or cords r r r r, horizontal .supporting-band S, and crossedbands p p', lall these parts being connected together and adapted toeach other substantially as and for the purpose hereinset forth.

4. In an invalid-lifter,thecombination, with the supporting-band S andcrossed ban ds p p', of the flap-J, substantially as and for the purposeherein set forth.

In testimony that we claim the foregoing we have hereunto set our handsthis 9th day of February, 1883.

HERBERT D. IsTELLE. LEONARD M. CUTTING.

Witnesses R. NEWTON, A ORMOND HAMILTON.

